Local Change, Big Impact
A new report from the LISC Research and Evaluation and LISC Policy teams investigates the local and state policies that help (or hinder) communities working to advance economic mobility and racial equity. Drawing on feedback from dozens of community partners and government agencies, the report analyzes the particular need for more affordable housing and inclusive economic development in local places, and common efforts to undo systemic discrimination—all of which rely on good state and local policy to move forward, especially as communities recover from the pandemic.
Introduction
State and local policy is critical to the work that local organizations and nonprofits do to advance equitable outcomes for their communities. These programs and policies often determine the level of public resources available to these entities, and help shape the broader landscape of housing affordability, job quality, and a host of other issues from policing to public health. Acknowledging this reality, LISC fielded and analyzed a survey that sought to identify the most promising state and local policies that advance equitable and inclusive outcomes within the field of community development.
Today, as the impact of COVID-19 further threatens communities that traditionally have been served by the community development sector, and Black and Brown communities in particular, the need to identify policy reforms that can address equity gaps is even more critical. The pandemic has prompted some states and jurisdictions to introduce proposals to mitigate the negative impact on communities and to plan for recovery, including introducing eviction moratoriums, rental assistance programs1 and small business supports. These efforts, however, have varied between jurisdictions and their success in preventing homelessness and economic fallout in the long-term is yet to be seen.
The impact of the pandemic may be unprecedented, but the need for interventions which increase the supply of affordable housing and access to economic opportunity, and address the inequity of health outcomes, remains constant. In this brief, readers will find examples of state and local efforts to make communities more equitable and resilient to future shocks of the kind we now experience.
